NY Post: "McCain to Crash Rudy's Manhattan Party"

MCCAIN TO CRASH RUDY'S MANHATTAN PARTY
By MAGGIE HABERMAN in N.Y. and FREDRIC U. DICKER in Albany

February 2, 2007 -- The New York GOP chairman has lined up Arizona Sen. John McCain to star at a major party fund-raiser alongside presidential-primary rival Rudy Giuliani, a move some see as a diss of the former mayor in his home state.

Some political watchers and supporters of Giuliani, who sits with McCain atop most polls of Republicans, saw it as a strange move, since it gives McCain a platform and forces Giuliani to share the spotlight with his main primary challenger on his home turf.

"It's a slight," said one Giuliani supporter, who noted that the former mayor's ties to the state party are not historically deep.

State Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello insisted that he wasn' trying to slight anyone by inviting McCain and other GOP hopefuls to the May gala at the Sheraton New York hotel.

"The state committee is broke, we have no money, and we need an infusion of some finances into our coffers," said Mondello, who has yet to make an endorsement.

He added that he also invited Mitt Romney, Mayor Bloomberg and former Gov. George Pataki.
"Frankly, a cast of stars, I think, works well for selling tickets," Mondello said.

He informed nearly two dozen local GOP chairmen about the plans at a meeting yesterday.

Some found it very "unclear" if either Giuliani or McCain knew they'd be sharing a stage, sources said.

An official with McCain, who has moved to lock up key New York fund-raisers, said the senator is "keynoting" and "proud" to be there, while a Giuliani aide said the ex-mayor, too, was pleased to be "keynoting."

Some party insiders insisted the dual invites were an unfortunate mix-up.